If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

President Barack Obama fired General James Mattis, the head of Central Command, without even calling the general to let him know he was being replaced.

“I am told that General Mattis was travelling and in a meeting when an aide passed him a note telling him that the Pentagon had announced his replacement as head of Central Command. It was news to him — he hadn’t received a phone call or a heads-up from anyone at the Pentagon or the White House,” Thomas E. Ricks reports.

In another post, Ricks says Mattis was fired because:

Pentagon insiders say that he rubbed civilian officials the wrong way — not because he went all “mad dog,” which is his public image, and the view at the White House, but rather because he pushed the civilians so hard on considering the second- and third-order consequences of military action against Iran. Some of those questions apparently were uncomfortable. Like, what do you do with Iran once the nuclear issue is resolved and it remains a foe? What do you do if Iran then develops conventional capabilities that could make it hazardous for U.S. Navy ships to operate in the Persian Gulf? He kept saying, “And then what?”

Comment

So again how long should we stay in Syria? And I’m fairly certain we will see and hear more from Mattis in the future.

Regarding Rachel it’s a much broader statement.

That answer should come from the people who know far more than a guy who's simply trying to "fulfill a campaign promise".

His top advisors and military officials have told him this is bad idea. Even Graham who is usually first in line to kiss Trump's feet has stated this is a poor decision.

As for Mattis, we all heard loud and clear. He's no longer willing to offer his experienced advice to a guy wearing ear plugs. The only thing left open is how long before Trump realizes that resignation letter carried zero praise to him. It was just the opposite. Then he'll be on Twitter making up some grade school level name for Mattis.

Comment

President Barack Obama fired General James Mattis, the head of Central Command, without even calling the general to let him know he was being replaced.

“I am told that General Mattis was travelling and in a meeting when an aide passed him a note telling him that the Pentagon had announced his replacement as head of Central Command. It was news to him — he hadn’t received a phone call or a heads-up from anyone at the Pentagon or the White House,” Thomas E. Ricks reports.

In another post, Ricks says Mattis was fired because:

Pentagon insiders say that he rubbed civilian officials the wrong way — not because he went all “mad dog,” which is his public image, and the view at the White House, but rather because he pushed the civilians so hard on considering the second- and third-order consequences of military action against Iran. Some of those questions apparently were uncomfortable. Like, what do you do with Iran once the nuclear issue is resolved and it remains a foe? What do you do if Iran then develops conventional capabilities that could make it hazardous for U.S. Navy ships to operate in the Persian Gulf? He kept saying, “And then what?”

Comment

Right, and of course this question can be extended elsewhere too. I empathize with your position. These are costly endeavors which offer nothing to gain for the average people like you and me and everyone else.

On the other hand, Trump won't be president for life so it's inevitable the next dickweed will be putting back what's being pulled out now. That's how a royal ****ing usually goes. This is all for nothing in the bigger scheme of things.

Comment

Right, and of course this question can be extended elsewhere too. I empathize with your position. These are costly endeavors which offer nothing to gain for the average people like you and me and everyone else.

On the other hand, Trump won't be president for life so it's inevitable the next dickweed will be putting back what's being pulled out now. That's how a royal ****ing usually goes. This is all for nothing in the bigger scheme of things.

Comment

As for Mattis, we all heard loud and clear. He's no longer willing to offer his experienced advice to a guy wearing ear plugs.

I'm left wondering if that's really it. Is Trump not listening to anything from his advisers or is it that he's listening to the 'wrong' people. Like I said, it's never completely black and white. What's the real goal in all this? My inner skeptic won't allow me to believe that this was about fulfilling a campaign promise or some genuine desire to pull troops for the sake of the individual men and women comprising them.

Comment

That answer should come from the people who know far more than a guy who's simply trying to "fulfill a campaign promise".

His top advisors and military officials have told him this is bad idea. Even Graham who is usually first in line to kiss Trump's feet has stated this is a poor decision.

As for Mattis, we all heard loud and clear. He's no longer willing to offer his experienced advice to a guy wearing ear plugs. The only thing left open is how long before Trump realizes that resignation letter carried zero praise to him. It was just the opposite. Then he'll be on Twitter making up some grade school level name for Mattis.

Graham and people qualified are what got us here in the first place. How’s that working out other than our boys coming home in body bags and missing limbs?

Comment

The rationale to keep troops and advisors indeterminately embedded is that containment of a mess is cheaper than getting it there in the first place. We don't have to turn the war machine up to eleven if we keep the lid on it. But that's not a sustainable position. I'm not at all surprised a guy like Mattis won't back Trump's refusal to stay the course. But I also don't believe for a second that Trump thought he would. So the question remains (to me), why? And it's probably just a matter of figuring out who stands to make money off the decision, cynical as that may be.

Comment

Trump getting three picks for SCOTUS would be the biggest feather in his tiny hat. I'm conflicted on letting him get that credit, but I have no qualms with his (and they aren't even his to be honest) first two already.

On the same token, I don't wish death or ill on Ginsburg.

Comment

Trump getting three picks for SCOTUS would be the biggest feather in his tiny hat. I'm conflicted on letting him get that credit, but I have no qualms with his (and they aren't even his to be honest) first two already.

On the same token, I don't wish death or ill on Ginsburg.

Which knowing you through this forum I would never expect you to. I would hope that most people would follow suit. Bdh comment was classless on it's own but paired with his just getting done crying about someone using agent orange and his dad's cancer, then making light of RBG's cancer is low.